Agricultural News

With the Cattle Industry Convention underway in Nashville this week, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association staff and members are all gathering to meet and discuss the most important issues facing the cattle business right now. NCBA’s top lobbyist Colin Woodall took time to sit down with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays and talk about what some of those pressing matters are in DC that he is keeping an eye on from Nashville.

“We’re really watching these executive orders, because they have a huge impact on us,” Woodall said, using one of President Trump’s orders that will force agencies to figure ways out to roll back existing regulations in order to implement new ones, as an example. “That’s something that could really benefit us, especially when we look at things like the GIPSA rule.”

Additionally, Woodall says he and his team are also following Trump’s cabinet confirmation hearing very closely.

“Trying to encourage Congress, the Senate in particular, to pick up these nominations and get these cabinet people in place as quickly as possible,” he said, “because until we start having people in permanent seats at USDA and the agencies, it’s going to be really hard to have a lot of action on things we need action on.”

Naturally, the confirmations of the nominees for Agriculture Secretary, Sonny Perdue and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Scott Pruitt, are at the top of Woodall’s watch list. According to the feedback he has received on the candidates, he says he is optimistic that they will take their places soon enough.

“As always there’s going to be rocks thrown, we expect that, it’s part of the process,” Woodall acknowledged. “But I don’t think it’s going to be anything to derail his nomination,” referring to Perdue.

Once these candidates are confirmed and take the helm of their organizations, Woodall explains work can really begin on the repeal of several regulations hindering cattle producers including the Waters of the US rule, the GIPSA rules and the Death Tax, which he says the chances of permanently killing are greatly increased with a Republican controlled Congress and a sympathetic President.

Listen to more of the issues Woodall is keeping a pulse on during the Cattle Industry Convention this week, in his full conversation with Hays by clicking or tapping on the LISTEN BAR below.

Listen to Hays and Woodall discuss the issues being watched during the Cattle Industry Convention